Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on July 15, 2026, that all active-duty military service members aged 30 and older will be required to undergo annual testosterone screening as part of their routine health assessments, with those found to have low testosterone levels given the option to receive testosterone replacement therapy. The initiative, which Hegseth described in a video titled "The High T Department of War," is framed as a readiness and optimization measure, aimed at ensuring that service members have the right testosterone levels to operate at their absolute best.
Medical experts, including urologists, endocrinologists, and military health researchers, responded within days, raising concerns that the announcement understated or omitted the documented side effects of testosterone replacement therapy, particularly for younger service members who may want to have children.
